1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the handling of data in computer systems employing a plurality of UARTs (an acronym for Universal Asynchronous Receiver-Transmitter devices) and in particular to a technique of using a jump table to dynamically reconfigure the UART polling loop of the multiport communications processor.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In computer systems there are a variety of communications arrangements which involve the handling of large amounts of data using multiple UARTs. When the UARTs in a system are accessed in sequence with a conventional polling loop, the throughput of the system is often reduced by the time spent executing instructions calling for operations unnecessary to at least some of the UARTs based upon their operating condition at the time that they are polled.
The communications functions of multiple UART communications assemblies are discussed below.